A Twitter tool that enables users to switch to a reverse chronological timeline has been rolled out to Android users.

In December the social media site introduced a new sparkle icon to the feeds of users on Apple's iOS platform which enabled them to switch between an algorithm-based feed of "top tweets" and one that shows the most recent posts first.

The chronological feed was the original design for the platform but was changed to an algorithm-based set-up in 2016, much to the frustration of many users.

Other ways to turn off the algorithm previously existed in the settings menu but, unveiling the sparkle icon, Twitter acknowledged it needed to offer a more visible way of switching feeds.

At the time, Twitter vice president of product Keith Coleman said: "It's our job to help you see the tweets that matter most to you, and we want your timeline to keep you informed about relevant conversations happening on Twitter.

"For those who just want to see the latest tweets, we hear you. We've designed this to make seeing latest tweets easy, and we will continue to iterate and learn based on how it's working for you.

"We also know that people sometimes wonder how algorithms affect what they see in the apps they use. We're hoping this change makes it clear. You can flip back and forth to see your timeline with and without the technology we use to rank tweets."